In Gateshead East Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of :

115828 Pioneer
W. Boyle
Royal Engineers
9th February 1921

William Boyle was born in November 1858, at Castle Comer, Kilkenny, Ireland, baptised 29th November 1858, one of eight children to  Isaac Boyle, born 1823, died 16th October 1885, and his wife Mary nee Fitzpatrick, Boyle, born 1837, died 13th November 1890. They were married on the 20th November 1855.

The other children were:

• Robert Boyle, born 1856.
• Ann Boyle, born 1860.
• Isaac Boyle, born 24th July 1862.
• Elizabeth Jane Boyle, born 4th March 1865.
• Thomas Boyle, born 29th October 1870, died 1934.
• Richard Boyle, born 27th January 1873.
• Joseph Boyle, born 28th June 1875.

William Boyd had joined the Coldstream Guards in 1874 and served 13 years with them until he was time expired in 1887. William married  Bridget Mary Jackson, born 14th August 1859,* Tobereg, Ireland, (daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth nee Conneran, Jackson), baptised 15th August, died on the 30th November 1949, on the 1st July 1886 at St Stephen and Edward’s church in Westminster, London. William was based at the Guards Barracks at the time. They had eight children, two boys and six girls.

The children were:-

• Mary Jane Boyle, born 18th July 1887, died 11th June 1974. Mary married  Arthur Woodcock, born 7th March 1892, died 20th March 1959, on the 26th February 1916. They had two children. In 1939, they were residing at 46 Marshall Road, Manchester.
• Elizabeth Susannah Boyle, born 1889, died 1929, married  Thomas Gray, born 23rd April 1890, [an Engine Fitter], on the 28th October 1911 at St Joseph’s church, Gateshead. (Thomas was residing at 41 School Street and Elizabeth was residing at 17 Clayton Street, Gateshead). They had four children. Thomas was a LNER Porter in 1939 residing at 41 School Street, Gateshead.
• Catherine Ann Boyle, born 18th September 1890, baptised 12th October 1890, St Joseph’s, Stanley, she died 1964. She married Epraim Albert Faulder, (born 13th March 1886, died 22nd August 1967), on the 25th June 1910. In 1939, they were residing at 50 Fleming Street. They had nine children.
• Margaret Mary Boyle, born 1892, died 30th June 1893.
• Isaac Boyle, born June 1894, died 10th October 1895.
• Thomas William Boyle, born 18th July 1896, served and was killed in WW1 on the 23rd October 1914.
• Agnes Mary Boyle, born 1898, died 13th May 1913.
• Theresa Boyle, born 1900, died 1901.

By 1891 William was a miner residing at 408 West Askew Road, Gateshead. The family moved by 1901 to 42 Wilson Street, Gateshead.

By 1911, they were residing at 47 Waugh Street Gateshead. William re-enlisted into the Royal Engineers on the 18th August 1915, at London, with the rank of a Pioneer and the service number of 115828. He was 5 feet eleven and a quarter inches tall, Age 46, he was in fact 57 years of age. [because his son Thomas William was killed in 1914,  William probably harboured strong feelings about this and wanted to do his bit]. On the 19th August, he was at Chatham, the then Royal Engineers Barracks. Described now as a Labourer residing at 104 Marian Street, Gateshead.

On the 25th August 1915, he was in France and sent to the Royal Engineers Depot at No 4 General Base Depot for Royal Engineers located at Rouen.  His service number indicated that he was to be in the 4th Labour Battalion. However, on the 10th December 1915, William was transferred to the 3rd Provisional Company and returned to the UK being unwell with Bronchitis.

Army Council Instruction 112 of 19 January 1917 issued new names for the RE Provisional Companies,. 1st Provisional Company RE became 640th (Lowland) Field Company RE and was associated with TF Depot 147. 2nd became 641st (Northumbrian) Field Company RE and was associated with TF Depot 78and  3rd became 642nd (London) Field Company RE and was associated with TF Depot 47. Known to have been at Weybourne in Norfolk in 1918. 
Source: The Long Long Trail

William was admitted to the Middlesex Military War Hospital in Holland Road at Clacton, on the 10th December 1915 for eleven days. He was then transferred to the Bishops Hall Auxiliary Hospital at Romford, Lambourne End, [which was loaned by the Lockwood family] and stayed for another twenty two days still recovering from Bronchitis. He was discharged on the 12th January 1916.

William was discharged from the Army on the 28th April 1916 under King Regulations 392 Para XXV. [W.O Lre 19/Engrs/8369 (A G 2B)],  on the 23rd March  1916. His services being no longer required. He was awarded the Silver War Badge  number  245317, which was issued on the 26th September 1917. He spent a total of 252 days in the  Army.

William was awarded initially an ‘out’ pension of 26 shillings, but was increased to 27 shillings and 6 pence,  eventually reaching 40 shillings on revision.

He returned home to 102 Marian Street, Gateshead.

William died on the 9th February 1921 at home from Chronic Bronchitis and Cardiac Dilation

In 1921, Bridget was a cleaner at Lockhart’s Restaurant, in Grainger Street, Newcastle upon Tyne. She was still residing at 102 Marian Street, Gateshead. By 1939, Bridget was residing at 44 Fleming Street, Gateshead still a widow. She died 30th November 1949 at Gateshead.

* According to the Ministry of Pensions, she was born on the 14th August 1856.

Acknowledgments: Geordie at War; Western Front Association; Eric David Faulders; Great War British Hospitals; Heather Anne Johnson; British Newspaper Archive

William Boyle is not remembered on a North East War Memorial.